


The Beginning of the End

by TheNightFury



Series: Prince of Lasan [5]
Category: Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Character Death, Fall of Lasan, Kalluzeb Royal AU, M/M, or so you think, royal au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-02
Updated: 2019-04-02
Packaged: 2019-12-30 18:00:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18320417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheNightFury/pseuds/TheNightFury
Summary: Garazeb Orrelios life couldn't be more perfect, he was married to the love of his life who would now soon be crowned as king beside him. His people where thriving, and he and his father where closer then ever. He should have known the Empire would not let that peace last.





	The Beginning of the End

**Author's Note:**

> So i was able to crank this out so quickly because I had a large chunk of it already written, but I hope you enjoy it still!

When Zeb had been crowned, Alex had seen Zeb rapidly deteriorate into a nervous wreck. He hadn’t understood why he was so nervous, but now at merely facing the prospect of being coronated left him ready to hurl. A part of him was praying the council would say no and deny Zeb’s request. However, the fact that they where now even entertaining the thought had Alex worried that they might actually decide to crown him. For so long the notion seemed to ridiculous to ever actually happen, he wasn’t a Lasat, didn’t have royal blood and it had been so long, six years since they were married and three since Zeb was crowned king. He had thought it was at this point pointless to think the council would ever even think of crowning Alex a prince. Until today.

Today he was facing the reality that he would very likely be crowned as a prince or worse if Zeb had his way, a king. It was terrifying in ways Alex could not comprehend until he was facing it head on. Suddenly Zeb’s panic attacks leading up to his coronation day made so much more sense. Alex wrapped his arms around himself, taking slow deep breaths to calm himself. The action somewhat helped him to calm down, but his stomach was still in knots, leaving Alex struggling to keep his bile down. 

“Hey Alex,” Zeb said, startling Alex. 

“Don’t scare me like that!” Alex cried, pressing his hand over his heart. 

“Sorry!” Zeb nervously said. 

“It’s okay,” Alex sighed. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to snap.”

“It’s okay,” Zeb gently assured with a soft smile. “I just finished speaking with the council.” 

“What did they say?” Alex nervously asked, a wide beam bursting across Zeb’s face that he had clearly been barely able to contain, telling Alex all he needed to know before Zeb even opened his mouth. 

“The council has finally agreed to crown you as King of Lasan!”

“King?” Alex asked, feeling light headed. Being a prince would have been terrifying enough, but now he was going to be a king? How could someone like him be a king? He wasn’t royalty, he didn’t have any training or knowledge on how to rule. How could he possibly rule-

“Alex, breathe,” Zeb said, placing his hands on Alex’s shoulders. “You are going to be amazing.”

“How can I be? I’ve never had any training on how to rule, I have no royal blood-“

“No training?” Zeb asked with a laugh. “You’re kidding right? You’ve spent the past five years doing everything a prince would do, without the title.” 

“I don’t understand-“

“You go with me to social events across the planet, you regularly help people in need, you’re always giving me advice when I ask and it pretty much always is really good advice, our people love you- you’re already a king to everyone in everything but name. It’s about time you got the title to match what you already do for us.”

“…..you really think so?”

“Of course I do,” Zeb assured. “From day one I’ve always wanted to see you become a king. It’s what you deserve to be.”

“Zeb, I-“ Alex tearfully began, but before he could finish, a deafening boom shook the castle to its core, sending them tumbling to the ground, Zeb rolling on top of Alex to shield him from any falling debris. Once the castle stopped shaking, Zeb rolled off of Alex, immediately turning to face him, tightly gripping his shoulders as he frantically asked,

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Alex said with a pained cough. “You?”

“I’m okay,” Zeb assured as another boom rocked the castle.

Alex peered out the window, to his horror, spotting Imperial Tie Fighters descending on the city, “It’s the Empire!”

“Why would the Empire do this?” Zeb cried.

“I don’t know!” Alex cried, heart pounding in his chest. Why was this happening? Why would the Empire just attach them like this? No he couldn’t think about that now, the Empire had just declared war on them, and if they were to survive, they had to act now. “I’ll go find the council, you should rally the Honor Guard!” 

“Right,” Zeb agreed, his grip on Alex tightening for a brief moment. “Just- be careful.”

“I will,” Alex assured, standing on his toes to peck Zeb’s cheek. “You be careful too.”

“I will,” Zeb assured, leaning down to kiss him again, unable to let go of him even as they pulled apart, forcing Alex to slowly back away, his arms sliding through Zeb’s grip, leaving Zeb reaching for him. Alex wanted to race back into the safety of his arms, but resisted. He could not simply ignore what was happening around them. Their people needed their king- kings now more then ever. They could not be selfish right now. So as much as it pained it to do so, Alex turned and ran from the love of his life in a desperate attempt to try and save their people. 

\---------

The castle was complete chaos, servants and nobles running through the halls, screaming in terror, not paying any attention to Zeb as he ran. On any other day, Zeb would have seen the inattention as a blessing, now he longed for the staring and unnecessary bowing because it would mean everything was okay again. As Zeb rounded the corner into the next hall, he nearly slammed into his father, who tightly grabbed him and cried in relief,

“Zeb! I’m so glad you’re okay-where’s Alex?”

“Finding the counsel,” Zeb said. “Do you know why the Empire’s attacking us?”

“No idea,” His father admitted, “But do they honestly need one?”

“I guess not,” Zeb bitterly spat out. He couldn’t be angry though, not right now, he had to focus on ensuring his people survived this. “I need you to find Alex and keep him safe. Please.” He couldn’t pinpoint just why, but the need to keep Alex safe was stronger than ever before. 

“I will,” Zeb’s father assured. “You keep yourself safe too.”

“I’ll try,” Zeb promised. Zeb’s father pulled him into a tight hug before releasing him and running down the corridor Zeb just came from.

“Be safe,” Zeb whispered to no one in particular, praying to the Ashla his family would make it out safe.

He just had to focus on the upcoming battle, and do everything he could to protect his people. A part of him was terrified, even if they made it through this fight, the Empire was now their enemy; they would never let them have peace. They were Lasat though, and Lasat never gave up. They would find a way to survive. They had to. 

Pushing the terrifying thoughts out of his mind, Zeb ran through the castle and out onto the grounds with renewed determination. Already Stormtroopers were on the ground, blazing through the town with weapons Zeb had never seen before. When one opened fire, a deadly green arc tore through dozens of his people, leaving nothing but ash in its wake. Zeb knew he needed to stand up and be the leader his people so desperately needed right now, but all he could do was stare in horror at the nightmare that unfolded before him.

How could they survive weapons like that? How could Lasan survive- It was as his people ran past him screaming to try and reach the safety of the palace that he realized the Stormtroopers where not pursuing them to the castle grounds.

“No! It’s a trap!” Zeb cried, but it was too late. Before he could even finish his warning, a massive explosion boomed from inside the castle, sending Zeb flying as darkness engulfed him. 

\-----

The first thing that filled his ears was the sound of an engine. The next was the realization of how mercifully quiet it was. Then he realized how bad that actually was. Zeb frantically tried to force his eyes open to try and figure out what was happening around him, but everything was blurry, all he could make out was a vaguely human looking shape bent over him and for a moment, Zeb thought it was Alex. But as his vision cleared, he realized the man standing over him had brown hair instead of blond, and his skin was darker then Alex’s.

“Hera, he’s waking up,” The man said to the twi’lek, Hera seemingly, who immediately hurried over to Zeb and asked,

“How are you feeling-“

“Did anyone else make it?” Zeb croaked out. “Please tell me someone made it- please.”

“I’m so sorry,” Hera said, “You were the only one we found.”

“N-no,” Zeb croaked, tears streaming down his face. “N-no please-“

“I’m so sorry,” Hera breathed, placing a hand on Zeb’s shoulder.

“Leave me alone,” Zeb snapped, yanking himself away from her.

“Hey-“ the man snapped, but Hera placed a hand on his arm and said,

“Kanan it’s okay. We should leave him alone.”

“Fine,” Kanan reluctantly agreed, standing up and walking out, Hera training behind him before pausing at the door.

“I truly am sorry we couldn’t save anyone else,” Hera whispered, Zeb however refused to even respond, barely able to keep it together. “If you need anything just ask.” Zeb stiffly nodded just so she would leave which, thankfully, she finally did. One he was finally alone, Zeb let out an agonized scream, tears flowing from his eyes. Alex was gone. He should have had so much more time but the Empire took him away. The Empire took everything away. He was a homeless, widowed orphan now. 

With a scream of agonized rage, Zeb punched the wall beside him then again, and again and again until his fists where bleeding. 

“Hey!” Kanan snapped. “What are you doing?”

“Fuck off!” Zeb roared. “I lost everything-“

“So that gives you the right to go trashing someone else’s ship?” Kanan snapped, finally making Zeb pause. He was smashing to bits someone’s home, just like the Empire destroyed his home. Seeming to sense Zeb’s fading anger Kanan sighed and said. “I cannot even begin to imagine what you’re going through….but until you figure out what you need to do you can stay here with us.” Zeb wrapped his arms around himself, shaking as sobs wracked through his body. Kanan didn’t say anything, but he stayed with Zeb as a silent companion as Zeb cried until their were no more tears left in hos body, leaving him only with a thirst for blood. 

“…the Empire will pay for this,” Zeb growled. He had nothing left to live for anyways. Didn’t matter if he died trying to destroy the Empire, he was already dead inside anyways. 

“Good, you’re in the right place for that,” Kanan said. 

“What do you mean?” Zeb growled. 

“Hera and I have made it our mission to stick it to the Empire in any way we can,” Kanan explained. “That’s why we went to Lasan, we heard an attack was coming so we went to try and warn your people but-“

“You where too late,” Zeb finished. 

“…. Unfortunately,” Kanan admitted. “But you’re here, and together we can try and make a difference for people hurt by the Empire like you’ve been.”

“You don’t need to convince me,” Zeb said. “Count me in.” He would burn the Empire to the ground, or he would die trying.

**Author's Note:**

> Never fear, for all is not as it seems.


End file.
